


Naddûnuh kurdulu

by Poplitealqueen



Series: Line of Dummies [2]
Category: The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Ficlet, Gen, Originally Posted on Tumblr, War of the Ring, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-02
Updated: 2015-04-02
Packaged: 2018-03-20 21:06:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3665010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poplitealqueen/pseuds/Poplitealqueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the anon prompt: "Dís and Dáin die at the Battle of Erebor and arrive at the halls of Mahal at the same time."</p><p>Yeah. Yeah, I teared up a bit, too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Naddûnuh kurdulu

**Author's Note:**

> Mmmm whatcha say.
> 
> Love, Miss Pop

Dís had never been one to follow. She hadn’t followed her father to his death, nor her brothers, or her sons. It wasn’t simply over concern for her own well-being, of course, but for a duty she felt honour-bound to uphold.

One must survive, if only to carry on the family name; though at this point,  _curse_ sounded more appropriate to her ears.

She’d come to know all too well the bitter taste of survival, tangy and sharp like rancid blood on her tongue, and it was not something she wished to know again.

Yet war was still not done taking from her. Taking and taking and taking again.

 She saw him fall, defending the corpse of King Brand.  _Naddûndhi kurdulu._ His great red axe sunk too deeply into the skull of one Orc, and stuck there. He staggered to one knee, blood drenching his white beard the fierce red of his youth, and  _still_ the fool would not run. He rose instead, slowly but stoutly, and bared his teeth in an almost playful sneer as he tightened his fists before him.

 _No._ Dís ran, but she could only move so fast. It seemed every Orc in the North wished to feel her blade slice through them, and she soon lost count of just how many she’d slain in her attempt get to her cousin.  _Naddûndhi kurdulu._ She didn’t pray to Mahal often, not anymore, but the words found their way to her lips nonetheless.

_Mahal save him. Mahal save him. Let me get there in time! Let me—_

She saw him fall a second time as Orc after Orc rushed at him, and he did not rise again. 

The last of her family, the last one that understood just how much she’d lost—that they’d  _both_  lost; the last one. The last one left.  _Naddûndhi kurdulu._ She knew this had to be the last one.

With a cry that could’ve shaken the very foundations of Erebor itself, Dís finally followed.

***

Some time later, or in no time at all, Dís blinked awake in a place that felt more like home then any other one she’d ever known. Nearby, a familiar voice groaned in puzzlement.

“So this is death, eh?”

Dís turned to find Dáin sprawled on the ground nearby. He was  _okay_. He cackled back at her wide-eyed look.

“Dunnae go sayin’ I told you so now,” he said and waved weakly. “Ya were just as daft as me, getting yerself killed like that!”

“Oh shut up," Dis growled back, fumbling with limbs that seemed brand new as she crawled over and bumped her forehead against his. “ _Naddûnuh kurdulu,_ just bloody shut up.”

And to the surprise of them both, she smiled beneath her tears.

 

**Author's Note:**

>  **Khuzdul Translations**  
>  _Naddûndhi kurdulu_ = her brother of the heart  
>  _Naddûnuh kurdulu_ = my brother of the heart


End file.
